Nicole Richie Reintroduced House of Harlow with a Soirée at Violet Grey

There may have been a storm brewing in Southern California on Thursday evening, but that didn’t deter magpies from flocking to Violet Grey’s Melrose Place boutique to celebrate House of Harlow’s inaugural foray into fine jewelry. On cloud nine about the just-launched natural diamond and stone-filled Nova collection, brand founder and creative director Nicole Richie—adorned in the red jasper and onyx necklace, crystal pendants, and tiger eye earrings—welcomed guests, inviting them to take shelter and peruse the gems.

Richie has spent the last two years reimagining the line and recentering her vision for the brand, which she originally founded in 2008. Amid the newness, her commitment to eclectic, vintage-inspired motifs that embody her own unique sense of style still rings true. Dressed in an inky midnight-hued silk slip, animal loving Richie showed off a diamond-encrusted pinky ring modeled after her cat. “I need to have her with me at all times,” she told Vogue.

As the rain pounded down in West Hollywood, the cocktail gathering unfolded in the boutique’s velvet-lined front space, where The Simple Life alum hovered beside the jewelry display all evening. Friends and family trickled in and out to toast to the Nova collection and the demi-fine Hathor collection. One such guest was Richie’s day one, Paris Hilton, whose shimmering leopard print Solangel mini glistened under the lights, much like the jewelry. “I love this brand because they always make the sickest dresses made out of crystals,” she said.

All smiles, a supportive Hilton gushed over her longtime friend’s latest venture. “I m so proud of her. She s been my sister for my entire life, since I was two-years-old,” Hilton shared. “I’ve always looked up to her, and her style is just so iconic and chic. I love House of Harlow, so it s really incredible to see her still growing.”

Hilary Duff, dressed in an all-black look zhuzhed up with diamond drop earrings and a gold pendant necklace, was beaming as she chatted with fellow attendees, likely still on a high from the release of her buzzy single Mature. Lauren Perez and her husband David Waltzer were making the rounds, as was Violet Grey founder Cassandra Grey. Meanwhile Tina Chen Craig of U Beauty cast a watchful eye over her popular products, lined up on the shelves nearby. With the smell of Madame Grey’s Meet me in the Powder Room candle permeating the air, guests toasted at the terrace bar over glasses of organic sparkling wine and sauvignon blanc from Avaline, co-founded by Richie’s close friend and sister-in-friend, Cameron Diaz.

The House of Harlow collection will be showcased at Violet Grey on Melrose until November 21.